Device for truing and regulating the tension of spoked running wheels

ABSTRACT

A device for truing and regulating the tension of spoked running wheels includes a support device for stationarily clamping the hub of the running wheel, a measuring device for determining the lateral and top eccentricity of the rim, a device for fixing a motor-driven nipple wrench to the spoke nipple, a device for manually adjusting spoke tension. The hub of the running wheel is clamped for measuring symmetrical to the axial radial plane; both lateral and top eccentricity and rim anomalies on the same radial rim segment can be read out directly and electronically with or without the tires fitted. A wrench can be installed in existing devices; and is suitable for manual and motor-driven applications.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Device for truing and regulating the tension of spoked running wheels

a) with a support device for rigidly clamping the running wheel axle,

b) a measurement device for determining the axial and radial runout of the rim,

c) a device for fixing the motor-driven nipple wrench to the spoke nipple,

d) a device for manually adjusting the spoke tension,

e) a CPU control unit with interactive display,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices that rigidly clamp the running wheel centered relative to its truly axial radial plane, are known and feature the following disadvantages together or individually:

-   -   measurements on the same radial rim segment are possible, but         adjustments to the running wheel centered to the running wheel         radial axis are complicated,     -   there is no device for fixing the lateral and vertical tracing         pin for the same rim segment in the running wheel radial         direction,     -   high production expense,     -   large tolerances for centering the running wheel relative to its         radial center plane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The support device presented here for application eliminates these disadvantages and is distinguished by the following characteristics:

It clamps the running wheel centered to its radial center plane, simultaneously indicates the axial deviations of both rim sides relative to this radial center plane, and measures the radial runout axially on the same radial rim segment, in order to allow centering without centering calibration, without time-consuming turning of the running wheel during the centering process, and without laborious allocation of measurement values obtained on different radial rim segments for axial and radial runout of the rim.

The running wheel is clamped by a novel pulling-tilting movement of the two supports simultaneously centered relative to the running wheel axis center plane, wherein the measurement device guided by the running wheel supports is simultaneously adjusted relative to a radial rim segment for each rim size.

The somewhat table-sized, portable construction is possible in a surface-stressed construction, which can be realized, above all, through standard industrial profiles instead of precision molded components, wherein the symmetric integration of both support sides into the overall construction also minimizes the tolerances. The support device is also designed for the fully automatic, motor-controlled centering process that can be realized in a modular way.

b) Measurement devices for determining the axial and radial runout of the running wheel rim for a rigidly clamped running wheel hub are known that have the following disadvantages together or individually:

-   -   complicated fixing of the measurement tracing pin for axial and         radial runout on the running wheel rim     -   complicated adjustment of the measurement tracing pin for axial         and radial runout for each rim size     -   no simultaneous axis-centered measurement of radial or axial         runout of the running wheel on the same radial rim segment     -   high technical expense for the mechanical measurement value         display     -   increase in the measurement error through additional mechanisms         between the measurement tracing pin and measurement display     -   lack of measurement scales     -   lack of measurement scales [sic]     -   no true-distance display of the axial and radial deviations of         the running wheel rim     -   no simultaneous read-out of the measurement values     -   no distinction between rim defects and axial/radial runout         possible.

The measurement device presented here for application eliminates these disadvantages and is distinguished by the following features:

It measures different running wheel sizes, each without time-consuming, error-generating adjustment work, displays the measurement values at the ratio L 1 [sic], provides a measurement scale, is designed for running wheels with and without mounted tires, and has a simple economical construction as well as low weight. In addition, it is equipped with a simultaneously readable scale field for axial and radial runout and a quick-positioning device for the measurement tracing pin, as well as in a modular way for electronic measurement value detection and evaluation (centering computer) up to motor-controlled, no-contact measurements.

The radial measurement tracing pins that can move parallel to the running wheel radial plane allow the simple fixing and detaching of the measurement tracing pins to and from the relevant running wheel rim in interaction with a quick-tensioning device for the measurement tracing pins. The measurement gap shown symmetric to the running wheel radial center plane and formed only by measurement plates, perpendicular to the appropriate measurement direction, fixed directly to the measurement tracing pins shows, relative to the radial center plane on a magnifier-enlarged scale field with, e.g., a suitable mark spacing of 0.1 mm and a suitable mark width of 0.01 mm, simultaneously both axial runouts of the running wheel rim and the radial runout at the ratio 1:1, wherein through the simultaneous display of both rim sides, a distinction between rim defects and rim runout is also possible. With a magnifier-enlarged scale mark width of, e.g., 0.01 mm, deviations of the running wheel rim from the ideal radial center plane as far as a region of, e.g., 0.01 mm, can be detected without a problem. Thus, the installation of additional precision measurement instruments is unnecessary.

Furthermore, by detaching the fixing device of the measurement body that can move parallel to the running wheel radial center plane on the measurement body support, the two measurement tracing pins for axial runout can display, with the perpendicular measurement plate edges of the vertical tracing pins, the radial deviations relative to the scale field attached rigidly to the measurement body support through vertical tracing pins installed on these measurement tracing pins and contacting the rim top side or bottom side selectively in a spring-mounted way via the moving measurement body. In addition, for side-grooved running wheel rims, the measurement tracing pins for axial runout can be fitted in the grooves. Likewise, for a detached fixing device of the measurement body, radial deviations of the rim can be detected and displayed simultaneously by means of the lateral tracing pins.

In addition, the radial runout can be displayed with the edge of another measurement plate, which is connected rigidly to a roller spring-mounted on the rim bottom side moving in the running wheel axis and which moves vertically in the measurement gap over the scale field. This measurement form can be selected, e.g., for fast use of the centering device, when the high measurement certainty given by the simultaneous, continuously equal spacing support of the measurement tracing pins for axial and radial runout is not the primary concern, as is possible with the exclusively lateral tracing pin-guided measurement method described here.

In addition to this basic setup, according to the modular principle, electronic distance sensors can now also be attached to the measurement tracing pins, which can be connected, in turn, to an interactive display with a microcontroller installed, e.g., on the measurement body support, which can also be connected to an opto-electronic device at the upper end of the measurement body for counting the spokes for a hand-driven or motor-driven running wheel, which allows a unique electronic assignment of the measurement values to the measurement locations. The manually operated centering computer installed in this way has the advantage of delivering simultaneously axially centered and axis-radial measurement values and also having a technically simple, space-saving, mobile, and lightweight construction.

Finally, also according to the modular principle, an additional expansion to a fully automatically operating centering device can now take place for a rigidly clamped running wheel. First, the measurement body is replaced by a measurement body of the same size. This replacement body works with no-contact, opto-electronically flat beam emitters or flat beam sensors, which are equally suitable for running wheels with and without tires and which are arranged symmetric to the running wheel radial center plane, and can be moved automatically into the optimum measurement position driven by motors on guides attached to the measurement body support. Second, a motor-driven drive roller fixed to the centering device drives the clamped running wheel via the rim bottom side or tire bottom side. Third, the motor-driven nipple wrenches on the centering body are installed in the set-up devices of the two running wheel supports and all three components also connect to the microcontroller. Manual activities during the centering process are limited to pressing on the running wheel rim.

In another construction of the invention, for no-contact measurements of the axial and radial deviations of the running wheel rim, an opto-electronically flat beam device composed of two flat beam emitters arranged orthogonally at an angle of 45° symmetric to the running wheel radial plane is designed, so that the flat beam intersects the running wheel radial plane in a common line at a right angle to this plane; the flat beam sensors are arranged in parallel, symmetric to the running wheel radial center plane, so that the axial deviations of the running wheel rim located within the beam planes can be mapped at a ratio of 1:1. For unique assignment of the measured distance to radial or axial runout movements of the rim, first there is the difference between the measured left-side or right-side distance, and second the comparison with a third flat beam running orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane and penetrating the common intersection line of the other flat beam, so that the radial deviations can be uniquely calculated from the measured axial distance. The no-contact measurement with the flat beam described here has the advantage, relative to other no-contact measurement methods, first, e.g., being able to display precisely and continuously axial deviations of a total of 40 mm and more for the measurement of used running wheels, and second, being able to adapt the measurement device to the appropriate rim size or rim condition through parallel shifting along the running wheel radial plane in a simple way, as through motor control, and thus setting up the centering device for fully automatic measurement of any running wheel size with and without running-wheel tires.

c) Previously known devices for fixing the motor-driven nipple wrench to the spoke nipple each feature one or more of the following disadvantages:

-   -   complicated adjustment work for setting the working point for         each rim size     -   complicated overall technical construction     -   imprecise rotation of the rotating wrench socket locking         laterally onto the nipple     -   imprecise operation of the geared-motor control unit     -   slight motion of the spherical wrench socket     -   increased wear phenomena due to spherically moving and latching,         non-positive fit wrench socket     -   additional measurement devices required for the spoke tensioning

The previously known motor-driven nipple wrench devices for centering the running wheel are found in devices with and without a rigidly clamped running wheel axle. Disadvantages in both cases include very high technical expense together with complicated adjustment work in order to prepare the entire screwing mechanism for the actual screwing process and the appropriate rim size. In addition, the required fine adjustment for the exact-fitting placement of the wrench socket in the axial direction of the spoke nipple is achieved by means of additional, technically complicated sensor mechanisms. In addition, the final lateral locking of the clamping socket, which moves spherically in a small extent and which grips and turns the spoke nipple, generates a large amount of wear and also accuracy tolerances with respect to the rotational position of the spoke nipple, whereby the centering of the running wheel and also the exact measurement of the spoke tension by means of moving the clamping socket are not possible with higher accuracy. A main prior problem definitely consists in fixing the wrench socket to the spoke nipple, because here the nipple axes tilted differently relative to the running wheel radial plane achieve maximum adaptation to the appropriate “nipple relationships” for minimum technical expense and optimum work accuracy in interaction with different running wheel sizes, spoke numbers, and rim types, as well as changes to the nipple axis position during the tensioning.

For reversible fixing of the motor-driven nipple wrench to the spoke nipple, at least one drive movement is directed towards and away from the running wheel radial plane.

For exact, low-wear screwing, a slotted nipple wrench socket is used, which sits with small play on the spoke nipple in its axial direction and which encompasses as much as possible the four corners of this spoke nipple and which can be screwed in exact rotational angles controlled by a directly connected angle transmitter. Thus, the direct measurement of the axial tension of the spokes is also possible by means of the motor current or the motor voltage.

The central element in fixing the wrench socket to the spoke nipple is formed by the sliding guide plane, which is made from close, parallel guides that are pushed onto each spoke, in this way matching their tilted position, finally forming a contact with their connection side parallel to the spoke axis, so that the socket axis of the wrench socket fixed to it coincides with the nipple axis, wherein advantageously the wrench socket is just above the spoke nipple, in order to be pushed onto this nipple in a final movement along the spoke axis. Because the socket and nipple edges must be aligned parallel to each other as much as possible and the maximum possible twisted position equals 45°, the rotating wrench socket is dropped against the nipple square, wherein an optimal matching of both movement speeds to each other together with a movement control by means of the motor currents or motor voltage and also an elastic device for the wrench socket allow the successful gripping of the spoke nipple from above.

The movement for placing the wrench socket onto the spoke nipple can also be supported by means of a sensor device for the successful nipple contact of the wrench socket and also a rim contact sensor device, as described in the drawing section. The sliding guide device with attached wrench socket is first pushed onto the spokes until reaching the axis-parallel position and second is brought into the final screw position through spoke axis-parallel shifting, gripping the spoke nipple with or without a mounted geared-motor unit in various possible reversible movement sequences.

For devices with externally rigidly attached motor gear units designed, possibly adjustable, for different rim sizes, the torque transfer to the wrench socket fixed to the sliding guide device takes place by means of a flexible shaft. The reversible movement sequences are constructed differently for a translating drive movement and for a rotating drive movement.

For the translating drive movement, the slide-guided wrench socket device is first pushed onto the spoke in a straight line in a fixed, frontal direction relative to the running wheel radial plane, wherein the joint devices already mentioned above for the tilting axes relative to the running wheel radial plane align the slide-guided wrench socket device in a straight-line movement direction parallel to the spoke arrangement; here, by means of the device moving in a linear direction parallel to the running wheel radial plane, the deflections are guided laterally to the movement direction during the alignment of the sliding guide along the spoke due to the radial deviations from the axis center of the running wheel radial-parallel tilting axis moved by the sliding guide device. Lateral deflections are also produced during the subsequent lowering process of the slide-guided wrench socket device along the running wheel spoke, when the downwards movement is not directed axis-parallel to the spoke, but instead, e.g., perpendicular to the frontal-directed movement direction. This can be the case when both movement procedures, parallel fixing and lowering, are implemented not with two separate, but instead one single motor device. In this case, the straight-line forward movement directed frontally to the running wheel radial plane is converted into a spoke axis-parallel downwards-directed movement direction for parallel contact of the slide-guided wrench socket device on the running wheel spoke for placing the wrench socket on the spoke nipple along the spoke by means of suitable joint devices.

For the reversible rotating drive movement, the spoke axis-parallel setting of the sliding-device-guided wrench socket and also the placement on the spoke nipple is realized in the most favorable case from a rotating movement. By means of a tilted, motor-driven radial joint, which is aligned parallel to the running wheel radial plane approximately at the height of the nipple and which is also guided with slide bearings in a linear direction in a plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane both parallel and perpendicular to the running wheel radial plane with elastic movement devices, a rod-like holding device is first moved orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane onto the spoke and finally aligned axis-parallel to this spoke. For sliding-device-guided shifting onto the spoke, the tilting movements already generated in the translating movement case and lateral displacements are absorbed this time by means of the tilting bearing and also the two elastic guided slide bearing devices of the radial axle.

After contacting the spoke, the sliding-device-guided wrench socket is then pushed along the spoke axis onto the spoke nipple by continuing the rotating movement, wherein the radial axle is pushed backward by means of its corresponding linear joint and in this way exerts slight pressure on the running wheel spoke. By lifting the wrench socket from the spoke nipple by beginning the rearward rotational movement, this contact pressure guarantees a tilt-free detachment of the wrench socket in the nipple axis direction. In addition, by means of a fine-adjustment device, the working position of the radial joint can be set relative to the running wheel radial plane, e.g., for long-term operation with axial runout tolerances of ca. +/−8 mm according to requirements. The shifting of the radial joint parallel and perpendicular to the running wheel radial plane can be realized manually or be motor driven for the purpose of adapting to different running wheel sizes.

d) Devices for manual adjustment of the spoke tension are known, which are limited, however, to merely manual tightening or loosening of the spoke nipple. However, because knowledge of the spoke tension is also required, not least of all, for operating centering computers and because torsion of the spoke must be avoided for each tightening of the nipple, the work-saving, space-saving, and cost-saving unification of all three processes, nipple tensioning, spoke tensioning, measuring and torsion control, into one device is advantageous. Even for measuring the spoke tension, known devices, such as 3-point measurements on the spoke wire, mechanical tension measurements, or acoustic measurements through the selection of the measurement point and/or the crossing of the spokes is necessarily inexact. In contrast, in the device presented here for filing, the axial tensile stress of the spoke is measured.

The device is composed of a cylindrical base body with nipple wrench socket, spoke guide, and pressure sensors, a center rotating body and also a head unit with power supply, display, signal transmitter, and torsion display. The rotating movements of the wrench socket can also be driven by a motor, wherein the controlled drive unit is used on the spoke in a manually operated way for the motor-driven nipple screw device presented here for filing at another location. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, an oblique representation of the structural elements of the centering stand,

FIG. 2, a view of the symmetric tensioning/tilting mechanism of the centering stand,

FIG. 3 a, b, c, a representation of the measurement body and its elements,

FIG. 4 a, b, c, d, e, oblique representation, side view, and components of a construction of the nipple wrench moved with a translating motion and also a representation of the nipple wrench moved with a rotating motion,

FIG. 5, setup and components of the manual nipple wrench.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1. The sketch shows the outer trapezoidal support plates, which are arranged symmetric to each other and which are defined by the lines 1, 2, 3 and 3, 4, 5, respectively. The lines 5 and 6 form, via the tube guides 7, a base that is fixed vertically and can move in the rigid body 9 between the lines 8. Here, the lines 1, 3, 5 represent sliding guides that move in the radial direction. Line 10 designates a rod device for lifting and lowering the base 5, 6 in the body 9. Item 11 designates the holding devices, which can also move in the radial direction, for the running wheel hub. The lines 12, 13, 14, and 15 designate the symmetric support plate, which is u-shaped in the upper half, with the sliding guides 16 for the measurement body 17, which contacts the holding device 19 attached to the two outer supports 1, 2, 3 from the radial rotating joint 12 running over the entire width of the support construction outwards to its two upper points 18 symmetric to each other. The control unit with display 20 is attached to the bottom end of the holding support. The outer and inner support plates and also the base of the support construction can be designed with devices for installing the motor-driven nipple wrench.

FIG. 2. The frontal view in a representation without measurement body support 12, 13, 14, 15, measurement body 17, and display control unit 20 shows a construction with the high-precision tubes 1, 3, 5, 10, 19, 21, 22 and also the rectangular tubes 2, 4, 6, 8. Item 7 designates the tube guides arranged symmetric to the running wheel axis center plane 23, wherein the body 9 is constructed here by rectangular tubes 8 arranged one behind the other in a plane, simultaneously [verb apparently omitted] the articulated tubes 1, the movement rod tube 10, and also the two tubes 21 arranged symmetric to the axis 23 to contribute to the stability and dimensional accuracy of the entire construction, because, as can be seen from FIG. 1, here the tubes 1, 10, and 21 and also the stick-slip tubes 19 form the basis for the dimensionally accurate assembly of the measurement support 12, 13, 14, 15. Here, the holding device for the running wheel hub 11 is shown in more detail than in FIG. 1 by the radial cardan joint 24, which runs above the articulated tube 3 and which is used as a holding device 11 connected rigidly to a v-shaped plate for the running wheel axle. It can be seen that the stick-slip devices 19 must move on circular lines during the pulling/tilting movement. The measurement body support 12, 13, 14, supported so that it can move in its radial joint 12 and forming a stick-slip contact at each of its ends with its two U-flanks in the axis radial parallel direction is previously oriented for an optimum average height of the stick-slip devices 19, so that its higher measurement tracing pins can minimize the running-wheel radial directional deviations produced for a minimum to maximum running wheel hub width, wherein the resulting error on the radial rim segment lies within the tracing pin sensor cross sections, and thus a simultaneous, running wheel axis radially directed measurement of the axial and radial runout of the running wheel is possible.

FIG. 3 a, b, c. The sketch shows the measurement body support 12, 13, 14, 15, the display control unit 20 with the control fields 25 and display 26. To be seen further is the sliding guide 16, on which the measurement body 17 is fixed so that it can move by means of the sliding devices 50. The spoke 27, the rim sides 28, and also the running wheel tire 29 are shown centered relative to the radial wheel axis center plane 23. The tracing pins 31, moving in the slide bearings 30, provided with contact pressure devices 35 guide the display plates 32 rigidly with them, which in turn appear in the scale field 34 and feature a gap size dependent on the rim width centered relative to the running wheel radial plane 23. The display plates 32 can also simultaneously display the radial runout of the rim in the scale field 34, on the one hand, when the probe tip is guided in the lateral groove of a rim side 28 and simultaneously the sliding guide brakes 37 are released by means of the setting button 36, so that the measurement body 17 is guided along with vertical deflections by means of the slide bearing 30, so that these deflections can be displayed in the scale field above the lower edge of the display plates 32. On the other hand, a sticking contact can be formed on the rim top or bottom side by means of the contact pressure devices 42 or 43 by means of the pivot support 40 that can be locked using precision boreholes 39 by means of a similarly rotating tracing pin 41. The last two methods have the advantage that the measurement tracing pin is always carried along in a mutual way and therefore always measures at the same rim position.

In principle, however, there is also the possibility of measuring the axial and radial runouts independently from each other, in that the measurement roller 44 moving by means of the slide guides 45 and spring mounted by means of pressure devices 46 on the running wheel 29 or the rim bottom side displays the radial runout in the scale field 34 simultaneously with the measurement plates 32 for axial runout by means of the measurement plates 48 that can be displaced with the setting button 47. A magnifying glass 49 is fixed above the scale field for increasing the read-out accuracy.

In addition, electronic distance sensors, whose measurement data can be retrieved on the display 26 by means of the operating fields 25 of the control unit 20, can be attached between the sliding guides 51 or 30 of the measurement body. For this purpose, an adjustable electro-optical counting device 50, with whose help a microcontroller unit assigns unique rim locations to the measurement values and calculates the necessary processing steps for centering relative to the running wheel center axis, is also attached to the upper ends.

Furthermore, the measurement body 17 is constructed so that it can be removed from the support plate 12, 13, 14, 15, so that a flat beam measurement body 59 with an opto-electronic measurement unit for flat beam measurements can be installed in its position, wherein this body is made from the flat beam emitters 52, 54, 56 and the flat beam receivers 53, 55, 57 in connection with a microcontroller and the display 26 with the control device 25 of the control unit 20. Here, the beam units 52, 53 and also 54, 55 are arranged at an angle of 45° orthogonal to the running wheel center axis 23. In contrast, the beam unit 56, 57 is 90° orthogonal to the running wheel center axis 23. The angular position of 45° is preferred, because here deviations of the rim orthogonal to the axis 23 are mapped 1:1 to the flat beam receivers 53, 55 oriented parallel and orthogonal to the axis 23. The flat beam unit 56, 57 detects spokes, valves, and the radial deviations of the running wheel rim. Thus, a unique assignment of the detected deviations in 53, 55 is possible by comparing with the measurement values in the microcontroller. In principle, one of the two flat beam units 52, 53 or 54, 55 is unnecessary; the two-fold use shown here is suitable for higher operating reliability of the measurement body and also for minimizing errors. Thus, a completely no-contact measurement of the axial and radial runouts of the running wheel is possible. Obviously, the automatic adjustment of the measurement body for the appropriate rim size can be achieved by a motor-driven device, moving the measurement body 59 along the guide devices 16, in coordination with the microcontroller. In coordination with a drive roller for the running wheel similarly controlled by the microcontroller, the fully automatic measurement process of the running wheel is now possible.

FIG. 4 a, b, c, d, e. The sketch in FIG. 4 a shows the perspective view of an embodiment of the motorized screw body with moving support unit. Here, on a base plate 60 is the support construction 61 moving in the running wheel axial direction towards the running wheel radial plane with the two-sided holding device 62, on which a cardan joint is oriented by the device 63 moving in the axial and radial directions with holding support 64 and radial joint 65, on which the screw body 67 and also the sliding guide device 68 are rigidly attached above the mounting body 66. For movement of the support construction on the running wheel radial plane towards the appropriate spoke, the screw body adapts with the help of the sliding guide device to the inclined position of the appropriate spoke by means of a simultaneous tilting of the cardan joint in the running wheel axial plane and orthogonal to this plane, and finally contacts the spoke 75, so that a centered position of the wrench socket 72 above the spoke nipple is achieved in its axial direction by means of the devices 69, 70, and 71. The holding devices 69 are equipped with devices for sliding, reversible adhesion to the spoke. The device 70 is also designed with a torsion measurement device for the spoke.

Placing the wrench socket 72 on the spoke nipple 74 is realized through displacements centered relative to the nipple axis longitudinal to the spoke by means of a drive 73, which is oriented in the mounting body 66. Here, the wrench socket turns at 8 rpm, slow enough to be able to slide over the spoke nipple after detection with the help of the nipple position sensor 76; this movement is then stopped by means of the rim contact sensor 77 and the nipple wrench can change to a screwing process. Here, an angle sensor 87 housed in the screw body 67 directly measures the rotation of the wrench socket calculated in advance by the microcontroller. When removing the spoke nipple, the wrench socket slot is reversibly rotated into the starting position. In the opposite movement direction, the drive 73 lifts the wrench socket from the spoke nipple and the support construction 61 moves back into its starting position.

In FIG. 4 c, a construction of the torsion measurement device 70 with the running wheel spoke 75 clamped between two spring-guided balls 79 and the angle transmitter 80 is shown in a top view. The angle transmitter 80 pressed against the spoke 75 receives its rotating movements. In addition, the nipple position sensor 76 shown in top view is provided with the tracing pin arm 81 installed within the body 79, the radial bearing 82, the restoring spring 83, and also the electrical contact device 84. During the simultaneously lowering and rotating movement of the wrench socket 72, the tracing pin arm 81 tapering downward initially lies with the narrow bottom side on an arbitrary rotationally positioned spoke nipple 78 and turns with the wrench socket 72 set at a right angle to its contact position up to the contact position parallel to one of the spoke-nipple square sides. Furthermore, in the top view, the lower plane of the screw body 67 is drawn with the wrench socket 72, the drive wheel 86 connected to the gear shaft 85, an angle transmitter 87, and also transmission wheels 88 or stabilization wheels 89. In principle, the placement movement of the nipple wrench on the spoke nipple can be performed within the slide-guided forward movement with the help of additional joint devices. Likewise, the sensor elements described in FIG. 4 c for contacting the nipple wrench or for stopping the placement movement are not absolutely necessary. Similarly, here, e.g., suitable spring devices are also possible in combination with the control of the wrench socket position by means of the measured current flow change due to the increased torque when the spoke nipple is seized, not least of all due to the slow and very precise rotating movement of the nipple wrench. Consequently, with the help of the angle transmitter 87, the spoke tension within the combination of a tightening movement of the spoke nipple with a subsequent, opposite loosening movement through the motor current values measured at the same position of the angle transmitter 87 and the respective torque can be stored by the microcontroller unit and also calculated there by means of the simple, general, readable relationship* for screw connections under tensile stress as follows:

Mt=tangential torque

Fu=circumferential force

Fa=axial tensile force in the threads

α=pitch angle of the threads

ρ=angle of friction, each formed with the resultant—from the normal force and the friction force opposite the respective movement—and the normal force

r=flank radius of the threading.

For tightening the spoke nipple, the following applies:

Mt↑=r*Fu↑=r*Fa*tan(ρ+α)  I

For loosening the spoke nipple: the following applies:

M↓=r*Fu↓=r*Fa*tan(ρ−α)  II

Because the axial spoke tension force Fa is sought, the second unknown, causing an interference but not exactly parametrizable, namely thread friction given by the angle of friction ρ can be solved here for ρ based on the thread friction acting equally in both measurements, and due to the measurement of Fa in the same nipple position in equation I and II, with the help of known addition theorems, simplified, and solved for Fa in the simple and exactly programmable relationship

Fa=Mt↑−Mt↓/2*tan α,  III

Because the total of 3 possible thread pitches for spoke threads according to DIN 79012 can be programmed into the microcontroller as pre-selected constants and thus an approximately linear relationship of the torque Mt↑ or Mt↓ measured directly via motor current and/or motor voltage or motor rotational speed is available for measurement evaluation, wherein for further error reduction, repeated measurements are possible. The advantage of this spoke tension measurement relative to a tension measurement through an acoustic measurement or by placing a suitable measurement device on the spoke lies both in the prevention of spoke crossing effects and also selection of the placement point, which is prone to errors, for the tension measurement.

FIG. 4 d shows the rotating drive movement in side view. Movements possible in the plane of the paper are shown by arrows. What is new is the radial joint 90 with the radial joint 92, which is attached to its moving, rod-like holding device 91 and which simultaneously holds the sliding guide device 68 so that it can move in the radial direction. Furthermore, 93 describes the rotational path followed by the radial joint 92 through the motor-driven movement via the radial joint 90. The tilting bearing of the radial joint 90 is described in FIG. 4 e by the support device 99 with linearly displaceable 101 radial bearings 98, which are supported so that they can move by means of the linear guides 101. Furthermore, the adhesion point 94 of the radial joint 92 on the spoke 75 is shown on the rotating track 93, wherein the wrench socket 71 guided by sliding-device 68 contacts the spoke axis parallel for the first time, together with the holding devices 69, the wrench socket guide device 72, and also the torsion device 70. From this it can be seen that the radial joint 92 in its position 95 with the sliding-device-guided wrench socket sitting on the nipple pushes 96 the tilting joint 90, supported elastically and in a translational way in 97, somewhat away from the running wheel radial plane 23, which allows, for the inverse movement, a pulling away of the wrench socket from the nipple in the nipple axis direction along the spoke axis based on the restoring forces generated in 97.

FIG. 5. Shown are the manual nipple wrench 102 in side view and also its 3 main components, one, the base body 103 composed of the spoke guiding device 104 with wrench socket 105, contact web 106, and also two-sided pressure sensor 107 and rotary head guide 108, second, the rotary head 109 with spoke slot 112 [sic; 110], contact pressure flanks 111, and pressure contact slot 112, and finally the cover device 113, with measurement display 114, the signal devices 115, 116, and also the spoke adhesion device 117. By bringing the manual nipple wrench 102 in the axial direction against the running wheel spoke, the fixed cover device 113 moving with the base body 103 via an axis radial sliding guide device 105 [sic] contacts the spoke with the spoke adhesion device 117, so that the cover device 113 forms a fixed base relative to rotating movements of the base body 103 by means of the rotary head 109, and on the other hand, displays the torsion of the spoke via the wedge-shaped vertical tip 106 [sic] when the nipple wrench socket 105 sits on and turns the spoke nipple. For measuring the spoke tension with the nipple wrench 102, the measurement of the torque when tightening or loosening the spoke nipple under tensile stress is required in the same nipple position. The torque is calculated via the force effect on the pressure sensors arranged radial to the spoke axis by means of a microchip 119 mounted in the cover device 113 with the help of the characteristic lines of the pressure sensor and also the linear relationship M=F×r. For this purpose, the cover device 113 is installed on its bottom side 120 by means of the sliding contact 121 of the base body 103 with two point-contact devices arranged at an angular position of ca. +/−75° relative to the spoke slot 110. For optimum measurement results on the measurement contact, the base body is turned with the rotary button past the 75° position by ca. 25°. At these positions there are also point contacts, so that a “green light” for the second measurement and also for an overall successful measurement is given to the signal transmitter 115, 116 via the microchip. The linear formulas for the tightening torque and the loosening torque of the spoke nipple each contain, in addition to these parameters, the spoke tension, the thread pitch, the flank radius, and also the friction between the spoke and nipple thread. Because the same thread friction occurs for both tightening and loosening of the nipple, this can be eliminated by solving both equations, and thus the second unknown in both equations, the spoke tension, can be calculated directly without additional linearization by the microchip 119, and can be displayed on the display 114. To supply power and set up the current loop, the cover device 113 is provided with a DC battery 122 and is also connected on its bottom side to the rotary cap top side via a permanent sliding contact 123. The rotary head 109 installed with bearing play relative to the base body conducts the current to the sliding contact 121 via one of the two pressure sensors 107 for pressure contact. Up to the measurement of the torque with the manually contacted pressure sensors 107, the physics of the screwing process is the same as that already described for the motor-driven nipple screwing measurement. In addition to the pressure sensors 107 described here, the manual nipple wrench 102 can also be installed with other electronic devices suitable for measuring torque.

Achieved Advantages

Centering Stand

All of the work procedures and measurement errors occurring due to the adjustment work of measurement devices are prevented. Arbitrary running wheel or rim sizes from 24-29 inches with hub installation widths of >90 mm to <160 mm are positioned for the axial and radial runout measurement of the rim measurement simultaneously in a radial plane of the running wheel and centered relative to the running wheel axis center plane. Positioning the measurement body and attachment of the measurement tracing pin are performed in a single mechanically guided movement sequence. Can be equipped according to the modular principle as a basic model up to a fully automatically controlled centering device. Due to the modular principle of the entire construction, the centering stand is provided with devices for installing the motor-driven nipple wrench, a motor-controlled drive roller, and also opto-electronic distance sensors.

Measurement Body

Simultaneous attachment of the two side tracing pins, radial and axial runout measurement possible for grooved rim sides just by means of the side tracing pins. Increased measurement accuracy through direct measurement value display without intermediate mechanical elements. Simultaneous read-out of the radial and axial runout relative to the running wheel axis center plane on a scale field. Measurement accuracy :9 [sic] 0.05 mm without additional equipment possible by means of a magnifying glass over the scale field. Detecting of measurement affects due to unevenness of the rim surfaces possible due to the reduction/enlargement of the measurement gap of the parallel measurement plates displayed relative to the running wheel axis center plane. Additional installation of electronic distance sensors, graphical display, and also centering computer according to the modular principle possible.

Motor-Driven Nipple Wrench

The exact orientation of the tension socket in the nipple axis with exact-fit positioning over the spoke nipple is possible through the moving sliding guide body of the nipple wrench. Therefore, minimal mechanical wear and small overall size. High positioning accuracy of the spoke nipple due to slower nipple movements measured directly via the position of the drive pinion. Exact fatigue-free work also in high spoke tension ranges. Direct measurement of the spoke tension without additional equipment. Use of a geared motor wrench socket CPU small display combination as a handheld device for exact tightening/loosening of the spoke nipple or measuring of the spoke tension with simultaneous torsion control. Prevention of measurement errors occurring in the spoke tension measurement due to crossed spokes and the selection of the spoke measurement point. Spoke tension of the running wheel can be pre-selected arbitrarily through high nipple wrench operation accuracy with microcontroller use. Low technical expense for rotational and translational movement sequence. Multipurpose use possible due to small overall size.

IV. Manual Nipple Wrench

1. Unification of the following processing steps previously performed separately into one work device:

a) measuring the tension of the running wheel spokes

b) torsion control of the spoke during the nipple rotation

c) manual turning of the spoke nipple.

2. The associated time and cost savings.

3. Increase of the measurement accuracy by preventing previously unavoidable error sources, e.g., due to crossed spokes and the selection of the spoke measurement point. 

1-43. (canceled)
 44. An apparatus for centering and adjusting a tension of a spoked running wheel having a rim and a plurality of spokes, the apparatus comprising: a support device for clamping the running wheel in a position that is centered relative to a radial center plane, wherein the support device includes symmetrically arranged support plates that exert a pulling-tilting movement on the rim to center the rim relative to the running wheel axis center plane; a measurement device slidingly disposed on a guide portion of one of the support plates for measuring an axial and radial runout of the rim by sensing a gap size of a rim width centered relative to the running wheel radial plane; an attachment device for securing a nipple wrench onto a nipple portion of the spoke, wherein the attachment device includes a sliding guide sleeve that is placed over the spoke nipple to adjust a tension of the spoked running wheel by adjusting a position of the spoke nipple.
 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the pulling and tilting movement device for clamping the running wheel is installed symmetric to a running wheel axis radial center plane.
 46. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the measurement device includes measurement tracing pins that are positioned on each side of a radial segment of the rim and sense the gap size of the rim width centered relative to the running wheel radial plane.
 47. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the measurement device includes an electronic distance sensor disposed on the sliding guides of the measurement body for measuring the gap size.
 48. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the measurement device includes a holder for holding the running wheel axle and for clamping the hub sockets with radial slide bearings positioned parallel to the running wheel axis radial center plane.
 49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the holding supports include a mining wheel axis radial guidance device associated with the measurement device.
 50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the measurement device is installed so that it can move parallel to the running wheel axis radial center plane in the radial direction of the running wheel.
 51. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the measurement device includes a display identifying running wheel rim defects and radial or axial deviations of the running wheel rim.
 52. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the measurement device includes an opto-electronic device for transmitting and receiving flat beams running symmetrical and orthogonal to the running wheel axis center plane and that intersect in a predetermined rim segment to measure the gap size without physical contact of the rim.
 53. The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising a motor-driven device that displaces the flat beam measurement device along the guide portion of the support device to automatically adjust the measurement body corresponding to a size of the rim.
 54. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the adjustment device includes a motor-driven nipple wrench having: a sliding guide plane that is displaceable along the spoke axis; and a slotted socket on the sliding guide plane that is disposed over the spoke nipple and that is rotatable over a predetermined rotational angle.
 55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the sliding guide plane includes: two parallel guides that open tapering outwardly in the running wheel spoke direction; and a holding support device for axis-parallel contact on the running wheel spoke.
 56. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising a radial joint device that moves parallel or perpendicular or orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane using a linear sliding guide device.
 57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is mounted so that it can move in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane using the linear sliding device.
 58. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is installed in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane with radial joint devices moving parallel to the running wheel radial plane.
 59. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench is installed in the plane orthogonal to the running wheel radial plane with radial joint devices moving perpendicular to the running wheel radial plane.
 60. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench includes a translational movement device for attaching the nipple wrench to the spoke nipple.
 61. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the motor-driven nipple wrench includes a torsion measurement device having: a spring-guided ball disposed on the spoke; an angle transmitter adjacent the spoke for measuring rotational movement of the spoke; and a nipple position sensor disposed on the spring-guided ball, wherein spoke tension is determinable using the angular position of the spoke and the nipple position.
 62. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein a motor driven slotted tensioning socket having a shape corresponding to the nipple square is attached to the nipple square, and rotational angle measurement means is attached to a tensioning socket attached to the spoke nipple square in the spoke axial direction.
 63. The apparatus of claim 61 wherein the adjustment device includes a manual nipple wrench for measuring the axial tension of the spoke which includes an angled contact device that can be fixed relative to one of the spokes, or one of the rims.
 64. The apparatus of claim 63 wherein the manual nipple wrench for measuring the axial tension of the spoke is installed with an angled contact device that can be fixed relative to one of the rims.
 65. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the axial runout and the radial runout of the running wheel rim is displayed in the scale field using a connection device arranged axis-symmetrical to the scale center and to two measurement tracing pins and coupled movably with the two measurement tracing pins and that the connection device can be adjusted in the running wheel radial direction centered relative to the appropriate rim width and movements of the lateral measurement tracing pin acting in the same direction can be displayed as axial deviations from the ideal line.
 66. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein a lateral measurement tracing pin can be coupled via the measurement body to a vertical tracing pin device movable in the running wheel axial direction, for groove-free rim side surfaces, both the connection device coupled with the measurement tracing pins and also the two parallel display measurement plates can display the radial deviations of the rim together with its axial deviations.
 67. A motorized nipple wrench for movement in an axial and radial direction while adjusting tension of a running wheel spoke comprising: a mounting body having a socket; a sliding guide body oriented in the mounting body for axial movement of the socket with respect to the spoke nipple; a sensor for sensing contact with a rim of a wheel; and a drive means for rotating the socket.
 68. A manual nipple wrench for adjusting tension of a running wheel spoke comprising: a rotatable base body having a spoke guide device; a socket associated with the base body; a contact; a two-sided pressure sensor; a rotary head guide having slots for receiving the spoke associated with the base body; a cover device having a display that is displaced with the base body by a sliding guide to form a fixed base relative to the base body through the rotary head, and a spoke adhesion means in contact with the spoke; and pressure sensors arranged radial to the spoke axis for determining torque of the spoke, for nipple tensioning, spoke tensioning and torsion control of the spoke during nipple rotation, in a processor. 